


Wolfing it down

by Aaron_Royal



Category: Cinderella (1950), Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: A bit of a self insert when messing with new languages or pronounciations, Acute sense of smell, Before Midnight, Burns, Coran Coran the magic man, Dancing, F/F, F/M, Fearful royals, Fire, Fluff, Galra corruption, Gen, Goodish Haggar, I was told i have apparently made Lance a furry, I'll add more as I see them, Keith and his wolf are one, M/M, Mental Abuse, Multi, Other, Poison, Prince Lance - Freeform, Prince Shiro, Shiro The Bro, Shiro The Brotherly Prince, The generals and lotor are very minor characters, Travelling Lance, Tyrant kings, assasination attempts, cursing, graphic discriptions of smell, ish, mentions of nudity, muscular adjustments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:14:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23769838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaron_Royal/pseuds/Aaron_Royal
Summary: Kosmo's master had always worked far harder than the head-master of the household. She deserved some peace of mind, even if it was only for a few ticks. However, he wished that her only chance to relax didn't come at the cost of so much drama. False furs were always so itchy too.
Relationships: Allura/Shiro (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron), Kosmo/Lance
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1 Wonderland

Now, Kosmo didn't have anything against his master. She was kind, her snow hair always fluttering around as she rushed to do her chores, himself at her heels to assist in any way necessary, whether it was to scare away that nasty cat of the head-mistress of his home, or to catch a tray of food, maybe stealing a lick in the process. 

A pair of mice appeared before his nose as he laid down, observing as the master carried corn out to the chickens. He didn't want to scare them and cause them to harm her. The fat one, Platt, laid down with a huff, squeaking softly with one of the twins, who Kosmo was pretty sure was Plachu, but could have very well been Chuchule. 

Said mouse crawled up until he was under one of Kosmo's grey eyes, huddling underneath his white fur. Platt tapped his nose gently, and Kosmo huffed. "I don't have crumbs in my fur," he grumbled at the mouse, before sticking his tongue out to catch the creatin by the tail. 

Suddenly the master was running inside, her apron bouncing. Kosmo lept up, flapping his ears over his face momentarily so the mice could take refuge before taking off up the stairs behind her. She held a piece of tainted tree in her hands, a drop of plastic blood sealing it shut as she ran up the stairs, Kosmo bounding after her. 

The smallest mouse, Chulatt, lept off the railing and landed on Kosmo's forehead, disorienting him for only a second before he continued after her. "Yo, dog. What's the rush?" The mouse squeaked as he burrowed into the white fur with his brothers. 

Platt squeaked quietly. "Lura seems kinda stressed. She started hoofing it up the stairs as soon as she came inside. Kosmo needs to stop being considerate of everybody."

Kosmo held in a huff, not wanting to throw off the mice as he skidded across the tile, before matching the master pace for pace. Curls bounced off her shoulders, and suddenly there was a high pitched sound, one akin to what he would gladly draw from the headmaster's cat but otherwise was painful to his ears. 

He tried not to whine, but his body tensed as she knocked on a door with the source of the noise. One of the headmaster's spawn was making a noise that only his master was capable of making properly; he could hear it. The mice were quiet, still as the shelter while the master opened the door. 

"What is it, girl?" the headmaster said with distaste. How he wanted to snap at her. She should show his master respect; after all, she does everything in the shelter. The cleaning, the cooking, the feeding. All they do is make horrid noises and apply their false fur. Chulatt must have sensed his distaste, pulling a hair out to bring Kosmo back from his seething before he began to growl.

"A letter, Aunt." The headmaster snatches it from her hands with anger and anguish. 

"It could have waited, couldn't-" A huff—a gasp. "Girls, get ready. We need new dresses. Allura, I want this house spotless." 

"Please tell me the witch is leaving and never coming back," Chulatt squeaked as the woman stood, and she and her spawn marched out of the room. 

[cue escape to Allura's room in the attic]

Chuchule stood on top of the oak dresser that held the master's few things. "She'll never have time to make that dress, you guys."

Plachu was halfway up the dresser before he gave up. "We should make it for her. We've watched her stitch and sew enough. We can figure it out, right? She's got that little manual up there, just gotta get the stuff."

Kosmo wiggled his butt, before bouncing from the wooden ground, to the bed, to the top of the dresser, and nosing the book open. He reached his snout down, feeling Plachu grab a whisker before he sat back up. "If you guys can pick out a design, Platt, Chulatt, and I can go collect everything we don't already have up here. "

Platt shook his head. "You need to be with Allura in case one of that hag's spawn decides to pull something."

Kosmo huffed. "And how do you plan to get anything large up here? Like a mannequin." 

Chuchule scoffed. "Stupid mutt… alright, fine. Platt and I will go down with you, but you'll have to keep watch while we search for everything." Kosmo nodded. 

"I'm fine with that."

[downstairs, an hour later]

Silks covered Kosmo's back, and for once, he was thankful that he didn't shed. But there were footsteps coming up the stairs as the mice attempted to pick up the necklace. Kosmo huffed. "Hold on," he said before running and snatching up the chain in his maw, the mice holding on for dear life as he ran. The beads hurt his teeth, and it was hard not to snap his mouth shut on the beads as he ran up the stairs, swiftly avoiding the steps he could hear. Lucifer peered over the railing, and Kosmo growled as he finally made it to the wooden door that led to the master's den. He bounded behind it, before debating on whether or not to close it, using his snout to shut it tightly. He'd find a way back out eventually, so long as that nasty cat couldn't get inside to see their surprise.   
Chulatt and Plachu helped the two down, and the four mice worked together to help dislodge the pearl necklace from Kosmo's mouth. He ran his tongue along his gums to make sure there wasn't anything stuck, before wiggling out of the pile of fabrics on his back. "Do I need to go back for anything?" Kosmo asked.

Chuchule looked down. "No, I think everything stayed on, miraculously."

"How is that possible? This boy was hauling ass." 

Kosmo huffed. "You would too if you had been listening. One of them was coming," he grumbled before plopping down as the mice ran about, using his tongue to suck the feeling back into his gums. 

When the master returned, it was with a sad look on her face. Kosmo whined softly, nuzzling her calf in the hopes that it would comfort her. She gasped when she saw the bows that Kosmo had reluctantly allowed Platt to place in his fur when she was getting frustrated and wanted to practice before trying again with the dress. Her face brightened, blue eyes glistening with unshed tears as she saw the pink and blue dress that they had all put together. 

She jumped forward, quickly stripping her maid's uniform and slipping into the dress. Kosmo huffed as Chuchule ran up the dress, making sure they had the proportions correct and everything. 

When the master believed that she was ready, she ran downstairs, Kosmo hot on her heels. The mice squeaked after him. "Let her have tonight free of you, dog."

He continued down anyway, keeping just enough distance from the blue ruffles. "Is this alright?" His master asked when she saw the headmaster. All three of the women turned their heads to the white-haired wonder, her snowy curls cascading down her back in all her beauty. He was allowed to be proud of his master for embracing her natural beauty, right?

One of the spawn, the smallest, sneered. "Is that my pearl necklace?" She said, stepping forward. Kosmo jumped forward, stepping between his master and the vile human. Teeth bared, he growled. He wouldn't allow them to hurt her, or ruin the cloth that the mice spent so much time on. She would have a wonderful time at whatever human thing this was if it killed him, and she would be safe doing it.

"How dare you, you mangy mutt," he heard the headmaster crow, before he turned to bare his teeth at her, catching the oncoming foot in his mouth, only to feel another one in his side. There was a pop, and he heard the master make a pained gasp. He stood and lept up. The collar was torn in her dress. The mice could fix it, right? She'd still have a good time if they hadn't hurt her.

He bolted for the next wrist that went for her, only to go flying into a pillar. His shoulder ached, and he couldn't move his head. Slowly, in throbbing pain, he gave into the beating of his own heart.


	2. Chapter 2 Till Hands Intertwine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith definetly doesn't like clothes. I thought it was i before e except after c?

There was a soft humming, and a gentle hand running through his fur. The hand went behind his ears, two fingers scratching softly. He couldn’t help the content grumble, what could he say. This dog was a sucker for some good scratches. But as he turned his head to show his appreciation, he felt a twinge of pain.

His shoulder, his upper body ached. But that’s what happens when you’re thrown into a wall Kosmo figured. He opened his eyes to see his master’s face blinking into focus. She was crying, the article the mice had made torn to smithereens. He would have to suffer through, as he pulled himself up and into her lap, licking her arm gently before moving to nuzzle her stomach. She needed comfort, he could sit down and lick his wounds later.

She smiled softly at him. “I’m fine sweety, I’ll be okay. It’s just a dress. It’s not like-” She started but he could hear the tears clog her throat, could smell the sadness. He nuzzled her gently, stretching out to lap at her shoulder this time before moving his nose to her chin. If he could figure out more about the sad, he could push it away, right?

She smiled, her blue eyes soft and fond, but glassy with unshed tears. That was when he felt it. The wind inside was unlike anything he’d known, but it should not have been there. Normally, that would have scared him. Well, it did scare him, but there was something calm about it, soothing.

Whatever it was, it made the pain in his shoulders go away. His back no longer throbbed, and his neck did not ache. Kosmo stood up without pain. There was no longer that twinge in his back, where his muscles met bone. The master looked up, and Kosmo’s head went straight to the sound of footsteps on the tile. The man standing before them was energetic.

His hair was ginger, and he possessed a simple handle-bar mustache. His eyes were almost black, like the ocean at midnight. He wore blue furs, but they weren’t of anything Kosmo was familiar with.

He stepped forward, and Kosmo swallowed a growl. “Come now, Dear Allura, tears are no way to start off getting ready for a party is it?” he said with that weird quirk on his lips that signifies humans being openly happy or comforting. Kosmo tried to not be too wary about it.

She sniffled. Kosmo looked up, standing on his hind legs to lick her cheeks gently. Normally he would be reprimanded, but not right now, as her sky eyes widened. “Kosmo, you’re okay?” She sniffled, and he yipped in response, knowing she couldn’t entirely understand him.

“He’s fine dear. More worried about you than my healing as it is. Dogs are always like that, especially the Pyrenees like Kosmo here.” Said dog groaned in recognition, wondering if the man could understand him. He obviously wasn’t an ordinary human.

Allura scratched his ears gently, before moving her legs. Kosmo plopped out of her lap quickly, but not before giving a quick lick in appreciation. She stood up, and the male reached out, giving her his hand in support with a smile. “Now let us fix that dress of yours. Those ladies really did some damage.”

He took his hand back, and with a flick of his wrist, a new dress formed from the old one. “No, that simply won’t do. The color clashes with your skin. “ Another flick.

The master lifted up her arms with a twinkle in her eye. “It’s a… a bit heavy?” She muttered, and Kosmo flicked his head at the man. He could at least let her be comfortable, couldn’t he? Kosmo laid down on his paws in the hopes of watching without getting in the way. He could intervene if needed.

“Sorry dear, give me a moment. It's been a while, and I’m a bit out of sorts I suppose.” He flicked again, and again, and Kosmo sneezed from the flurry of dust caused by the sudden changes in her dress.

Finally, a beautiful blue hue settled on her, and even Kosmo would have howled in appreciation if he hadn’t seen how she felt about it from the male humans. Instead, he remained quiet but watched as she gazed upon her new gown in awe. “So? Does this suit your style well enough?”

She smiled, before spinning around. “It’s perfect.” The man smiled in return, the look on his face fond.

“Now, if you’ll all come out with me.” He winked. Kosmo rolled his eyes as he stood up, walking over to the banister where the mice had gathered to watch. They all huffed before Platt pushed them onto his back and jumped on himself.

The master chuckled at them, as Kosmo trotted up beside her and they stepped into the stone floor outside. “Now, you’ll need horses, obviously,” he said with a smile before the twins were lifted off of Kosmo’s back with magic. He yipped in surprise.

“AH WHAT’S HAPPENING!?” Plachu shouted. “PUT ME DOWN YOU GINGER HAIRED-” and then the man turned them both into horses.

Kosmo couldn’t help but huff, and ignored the, now a horse, mouse’s indignant squalor. “Now, drivers.” Platt and Chulatt both went up, and Kosmo was definitely laughing now as the two turned into humans. Thank goodness he wouldn’t have to do that. After all, Platt had been turned into one of those larger humans who often went rolling down the stairs when they tripped if the head-master had called for them, and Chulatt was so small he probably bordered Kosmo’s height

The man smiled, as though he could hear Kosmo’s thoughts. “And an escort.” And there he went, flying, the wind ruffling his thick fur.  
“Do I have too?” he whined, and then he was on two legs, the fake fur a white, much like his own natural, with a layer of black. But he was so high up, he was surprised the mice weren’t scared.

“Woah,” The master muttered.

Kosmo could feel himself swallowing his pride as he turned around. “If you’re shifting all of us,” oh, man was his voice DEEP, almost like his growl. He wasn’t that grumpy about this, was he? What was it the humans called it? Brooding? He wasn’t brooding, was he? “I assume you have some sort of plan for transportation then.” His front paws were moving as he spoke, much like Chuchule’s when he got frustrated with his twin.

The man gave a knowing smile. “I’ll handle that in a moment. You lot come up with names. After all, if you’re going to be going, you have to have names. And no offense, but Chulatt and Platt aren’t very human names.”

Kosmo rolled his eyes, but it felt different as though his face was looser.

Chulatt and Platt looked at each other in the eye. “DIBS ON RICHARD!” they both shouted, before groaning.

Kosmo crossed his arms with a huff. Why were false furs so itchy? “Master? Some common names are James and Charles correct?”

His master turned to him, her silver curls swaying with the wind. “Yeah, I believe so.”

Coran smiled. “So Chulatt will be Charles, and Platt will be James. What about you Kosmo? I think you look like a Kieth myself.”

Kosmo shrugged his new shoulders, and the feeling of the bone being so circular was strange to him. “Kieth is fine with me.”

Blue eyes smiled softly at him, and Kosmo’s fur ruffled. Their time would be limited, so he attempted to grab the handle of the carriage. Platt huffed. “Thumbs *Kieth*.” He said the name in an irritably smug way, and Kosmo wished he still had his tail to swipe the mouse-turned-man with.

He wrapped pale, furless skin around the glistening knob, and it was such a tight grip that it surprised him for a moment. It felt as though he’d had his sharpened maw replaced with soft, yet calloused skin. He could ask the master later. The claws that came with the form were not sharp, but they were irritable. Kosmo had often heard the many humans shouting about them bending or cracking. The main difference between primate and canine it would seem.

“Stop looking so salty!” Coran shouted as he came up beside him. “Besides Keith, I’m sure you’ll have just as wonderful a time as Allura will. And you can NOT call her what you normally do. It’s inappropriate.”

Kosmo blinked, knowing he was being reprimanded but not quite sure what for. All he had to do was call the master Allura right? But if the other humans found she had left she would be in trouble.

“Then what do I call her?” The question was innocent, or at least Kosmo thought it had been.

Coran quirked an eyebrow, as though he was confused for Kosmo’s concerned behavior. Allura seemed to be trying to walk properly, unfamiliar with needle-like shoes and thick, wide furs. Coran sighed, bright fire mustache twitching momentarily. “Just call her Lady for now.” Kosmo nodded.

Her silver hair spread across her breast-bone, and the long, silky dress that matched the midnight sky moved around her like water. Kosmo reached out a hand as she approached the pumpkin-like object that the two mice had been attached to while they were attempting names.

Allura blinked, before smiling as she took it.

== after the arrival and an embarrassing encounter with the announcer ==

When they were out of earshot of the announcer, Kosmo huffed. “I love you, I do, but never ask me to do this again,” he whispered to his master.

“Sorry Kossy.” the arm she had looped with his patted his paw gently, and he wondered how those fingers were going to work.

A strong smell reached his nose, different from the drinks, one that he was familiar with. “They’re here. Please be careful Master,” He said in a hushed voice before a man began to approach them.

“I will don’t worry. Try to have some fun Kosmo, it’s not often you get off the property.” She gave a soft smile, but he could smell the worry. He wanted to reassure her, but the man was closing in.

“May I have a dance Miss?” The man asked, and she nodded, taking his outstretched hand. Moon, help Kosmo, for tonight his patience would truly be trained.

He stepped toward the nearest wall. He would just stay out of the way. The humidity stuck to his skin, causing the false-fur to chaff uncomfortably. It was stuffy, like when the mice would cause the master to dump tea on the stove. Quickly, Kosmo searched for an opening, eyes landing on a balcony. Swiftly, he made his way across the large room to the open air. Taking a deep breath, he felt his body relax instantly.

Kosmo let out a soft huff. Of course, he would be unable to stand such a large room, there were too many possibilities for things to go wrong. He truly was a watchdog by heart. “And what are you doing out here Mister Tall-Dark-And-Broody?” The voice was strange, a foreign accent. “Hiding from someone, are you?” The voice was getting closer, and Kosmo was tempted to lean over the balcony when he caught a whiff of something salty, sweet. Two scents that should have nothing to do with each other, yet this man held both. Kosmo huffed. Probably some synthetic scent that the humans had created to make sure they were pleasing to other humans. “Not much of a talker are you?”

Kosmo sighed, giving in. Maybe if he gave the human what it wanted, it would leave him to his air. “No, I’m not.” So what if his natural expression was apparently Brood?

“You know, most people would be offended by what I said.” A tree-armor colored patch of hair raised above the man’s sunset sky eyes.

Kosmo huffed. “What? Are you looking for a fight? In case you haven’t noticed,” he brought an arm out to gesture to the empty balcony, “I’m not most people.”

The man behind him huffed. “Who are you?”

Kosmo tossed an idea around in his head. It wasn’t often he got to mess with anyone other than the mice. “Tall, dark, and broody apparently,” He said, earning him a chuckle from the man who was now next to him, leaning over the balcony. The human was beautiful, for lack of a better term from Kosmo’s limited understanding of human vocabulary. “You’ll have to forgive me, I’m not familiar with the names and faces of any of you nobles. You would be?”

The man turned to blink at him in surprise, and Kosmo could feel his eyes enlarge in surprise, before a soft smile. “I’ll leave that to you to figure out.” Kosmo groaned.

“Using my own words against me, I see how it is,” he muttered, causing the man to chuckle before the master’s distressed scent hit him. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cut this off. It seems the Mistress requires me,” Kosmo said. “I hope to speak with you again soon, sir.” And he turned and fled with a flourish. Quickly, he followed his nose, to where his master stood, surrounded by men.

He slipped through them, before taking her hand in his, causing her to jump. “May I Allura?” He asked, and she nodded, a sigh of relief coming before he led her away, the men surrounding her dispersing in discontent. The smell of distress quickly gave way to contentment.

Kosmo felt clumsy but was thankful as she took the lead. “Thanks for the save, Keith,” she said, using the name they had chosen in case someone was listening.

“Of course. You looked like you were ready to bolt.” He wouldn’t mention the scent of distress. Anyone who knew her natural body language would know dis-comfort.

She shook her head as they slowly made their way across the floor. “I should be grateful for this opportunity, but instead it’s…” Stress, like burnt apples, wafted up.

Kosmo squeezed her hip gently, causing her to look back up at him. “It’s alright to feel overwhelmed My Lady. Don’t invalify your feelings,” He said. Kosmo could only hope the words would come across.

She quirked an eyebrow. “Did you mean Invalidate?”

He shrugged. “You understood what I said, that’s what matters. “ She chuckled.

“Mind if I cut in?” A thick voice, similar, but not the same one that belonged to the man on the balcony. However, Allura’s eyes lit up, and Kosmo couldn’t deny her that joy. So with a quirk of his eyebrows that only she could see, he turned to smile at raven hair and steel grey eyes, the happy scent of fresh red apples soaring around him.

“All yours. Princess,” he winked. And maybe that was a bit over the top, as she blushed and the man looked at her with widened eyes. The smell grew stronger but quickly dissipated in the crowd of bodies.

But then there was a pair of hands around him. He tensed, and if he was still his assigned species, his teeth would be out. “Calm down, it’s just me.”

Kosmo groaned. “You really ought to warn a guy. You might get introduced to a joint otherwise, and you’re a bit too pretty for that,” he said with an eye roll, only to meet day blue eyes as they began to dance.

“So you admit I’m attractive?” The man said, the stretch of fur once again quirked and a smile that was different from ones Kosmo knew on his lips.

“Everyone here is eye-candy. That’s why they were invited, no?” This guy seemed to handle his bluntness pretty well. If it offended him, the master could probably pass it off as him being, what was it, socially challenged? Yeah, that sounded right.

The man chuckled. “No, that wasn’t the point of the party. Were you not made aware?” His eyes glistened with mischief, and Kosmo could feel the heat in the room still around them. This could be a wrong answer question.

“I was asked to escort the Mistress. That’s all I know. Otherwise, I’d be considered too low class to be here,” Kosmo said. Or not of any class at all.

“Oh? So you didn’t know the prince has returned, nor that he will be coming of age tomorrow? This is a three-day party after all.”

He felt himself shudder. Okay, no suspicion. Kosmo glanced up, and the clock was at a 90-degree angle, the shorthand pointing to the side. He’s supposed to find her when it’s the long hand to the side at a 45-degree angle. So he still had time.

“Sorry. I don’t hear much news as a servant.” Blue eyes widened in surprise. Did that give people a new view? It really shouldn’t, and made Kosmo’s insides squeak in dismay at the idea.

The man cleared his throat. “Sorry, you don’t seem like a servant. At least not one I’ve ever met.”

Kosmo rolled his eyes. “Why? Because I don’t bend over to help upon a whim?” The headmaster seemed to agree with such a view, perhaps it was the norm.

The man flinched. “No, that’s not what I meant. You’re just more, outspoken.” Kosmo rolled his eyes. The man cringed. “You’re not afraid to say what you mean, or at least you haven’t been so far. You’re teasing, something I haven’t come to find very often.”

The guy looked panicked, so Kosmo figured he better throw the man a metaphorical bone before he took off. “Don’t worry too much. Just treat us with more respect. We’ll be honest with you when we don’t feel like we need to fear you. Respect and fear give different loyalties, as you well know.” After all, Kosmo would know that best. He feared the head-master after what happened to her mate but respected his master. The two loyalties could not be more different, but that wasn’t a good thing to convey.

The man smiled. “I’ll be sure to take that into account when I take the crown.”

Kosmo rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t mean let people take advantage of you. There’s a difference between earning respect and abuse of a kind heart. You need to find your own….” The words hit him suddenly. “Balance… ah crap, I’ve been talking to the prince. Whoops.” The master might kill him later. Hopefully not, but he wouldn’t be surprised if he was put in the dog house for a night or two if he didn’t banish himself to it later.

The man that Kosmo now knew was the prince, quickly swept the two away to the balcony where they had met previously. “Please don’t freak out?” The prince was desperate, it seemed.

Kosmo took a deep breath. “I’m sorry if I offended you in any way, please don’t take it out on Allura.” And then he internally bit his tail. He shouldn’t have said her name. Kosmo could hear a voice similar to Platt’s reprimanding him in his head.

The prince sighed. “No, you didn’t. You said things that I need to hear.” He leaned against the balcony, and suddenly a wave of burnt sand hit Kosmo’s nose, and he could recognize it as the prince’s distressed scent. If he was still a dog, he would have whined. But he’d have to settle for placing a hand on the Prince’s shoulder.

“Look. I don’t know what position you’re in. I barely know how to help the master. But I can tell you right now, most of this city will walk into a battle naked for you, so you don’t have much to worry about.” Probably not his best pep-talk, but it still made him smile before the vibrations hit his back and he began to laugh. Burnt sand gave way to the original scent, salty and sweet. Perhaps the salt of the sea? Something for him to think about later.

Kosmo joined him in leaning on the balcony while the man sang his relief, closing his eyes to bask in the moon’s light. “I know that was supposed to be a comfort, sorry for laughing.”

Kosmo shook his head, raven locks blocking his sight for a mere moment before the moonlight reflected onto the prince. “I was being serious but if it cheered you up, go for it. Take your silver linings where you can Highness.”

Another sigh, deep as the sea that Kosmo now knew this man had crossed, that he seemed to smell like. “I know. So many people are counting on me. You are refreshing I suppose. Or were.”

Kosmo rolled his eyes. Half tempted to bark, he spoke up. “I’m not going to start acting differently because I suddenly possess the knowledge of just how Noble you are. You’ll have to burp rainbows before I change my attitude, as the master says.” Another slip up. He really needed to be more careful.

This time the laughter was sudden. “Seriously, you’ve got to tell me your name.”

“My real name is Kosmo.” And he wasn’t supposed to say that either.

“That’s.. Oddly specific.”

Suspicion. He doesn’t blame him. “It’s foreign, so the mistress gave me a different one to hide behind. The only person in this place that knows me, will call me Keith.” He should be more careful.

“Which do you prefer?” Acceptance, although confused.

“For now you can stick to Keith.” He smiled.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Keith.”

The wind went up to his coat, gently skimming his skin. “Pleasure’s all mine Highness.” And then it hit him, fresh apples and cloves, the smell of Allura and the man from before, both approaching.

“Keith?” She said as she appeared at the arch of the balcony. “Oh, your highness.”

He nodded. “MIstress.”

The prince gave a dashing smile. “Shiro, I’m guessing Father is looking for me.”

The feather-haired man nodded. “Do you need a moment, highness?”

Kosmo sighed. “The mistress and I best be under-way anyway. Best of luck sire.” And with a flourish, they were out.

“Keith you just left without a bow.”

Kosmo rolled his eyes at her hushed whispers. “He hadn’t told me he was a prince and therefore wanted something refreshing and normal. I don’t bow to you, so I definitely won't bow to him.”

She huffed, but they both looked up. The hands were almost intersected. How had so much time passed by him? He looked towards the doors. Beyond the sea of people, stood Platt. Which meant they had noticed. Kosmo grabbed Allura’s hand.

And a voice, behind them. The prince, calling out to both of them. But there was no time. He shook his head and could smell the distress radiating off of the master in waves. He waved his head towards Platt, who saw the signal and the balcony that Kosmo gestured too.

He hauled Allura forward. “Where are we going?”

“Brace yourself,” he said before picking her up and jumping down. He landed in a crouch, and boy did that drop onto the man-made stone hurt the joint in one of his hind-paws. The twins whinnied as Kosmo threw Allura into the carriage, Plat, and Chulatt sitting in the driver’s seat as Kosmo clung to the sidebar.

“Where’d they go?” The prince called. “Oh shit, they jumped. “ ANd then there was a whistle, one often used for trained horses that made Kosmo flinch, and the sound of footsteps hitting gravel as the twins took off and all Kosmo could hear was the wind in his ear. Until the horse steps. Two new pairs. But there was no clock to check and see how much time was left until suddenly the carriage began to shrink.

He braced himself as the Carriage rolled due to the twin’s shifting. It began to roll, and Allura was back in her old torn dress when he went into it to pull her out. It bounced off of something, and Kosmo could only hope the mice were alright as he wrapped himself around his master.

His head pounded, but he was small again. “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?” Called two unfamiliar voices. Kosmo grumbled, before nuzzling at her. She was asleep, and he could only hope otherwise unharmed as he grabbed her by the nape.

He grumbled for the mice, who quickly appeared and raced to his fur before he attempted to flip her onto his back. He could hear the men getting closer, and felt her arms flop around his neck before he dragged himself back up and took off to the mansion. He felt her wake up as he ran.

“Kosmo?” She muttered before he felt her arms and thighs tighten around him.

The mice squeaked in attempted to make sure she was okay, letting him know of any injuries they found, all of which were thankfully minor.

The courtyard was still barren when Kosmo hauled them all through it, before making his way to the back door. Haxus’s piercing yellow eyes appeared from the window of the front of the house, but Kosmo refused to bark. As much as the canine despised the feline, there were other times to settle old disputes.

Allura began to reach for the floor, and Kosmo stopped. The mice all jumped off as she began to stand up, wobbly. One foot was bare, but the other clinked on the stone floor. She smiled softly, but Kosmo could smell some of the sadness. The shoe was silver, a rose that was carved from the moon it had seemed. Kosmo moved his snout against her shin softly.

She gave him a soft smile, before making her way to the stove. Kosmo bolted out the door, the mice laughing behind him. He hated baths. “COME BACK HERE!”

“I’LL RUN IN THE DEW IN THE MORNING!” he barked, hoping the mice would translate. She seemed to understand them better than she did him after all. Not that he talked much in front of her. He found his dog house and laid down. She would be safe for the night, and the mice would help clean her scrapes.

When he heard the carriage approach, he moved to the kitchen floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should probably mention that there will be a final chapter with cited recourses with a pile of information. If you want better updates and stuff, check out the tumbls @susan-royal. There's also a lot more stuff on there that I'm debating on posting. Now someone go tell Shame to stop harassing me about this. Also, the waist piece was cut from the photo the dress was inspired by because I spent a while struggling before saying fuck it. I don't do art often, and I spent a while trying. You guys can check out other notes about these pieces on Tumblr as well.


	3. Chapter 3 - Wit

When Kosmo awoke on the floor of the kitchen, the beautiful smell of bacon wafting into the room, he smiled. Well, as close as a dog could get to a smile. The discovery of keeping one of the shoes truly did place her in a good mood, and Kosmo couldn’t help the wonder if this would be like one of those strange human fairy tales that involved the other one being found by their prince charming. The irony would be quite poetic at least.

The normal sounds of chaos filtered about, as though nothing had happened the night before. Kosmo would bask at the moment, knowing that as soon as the head-master had come to her senses with her morning bean water, that he would likely never be allowed in the house again. He walked around dutifully, glaring at Haxus as the house cat bounded onto the table. Not even the cat could ruin his good mood.

When she dropped a piece of raw bacon on the floor, Kosmo all but lept for it. He glanced at her, making sure it wasn’t a piece she needed, and seeing her smile was all the permission he needed before lapping up the piece of bacon and running to the front of the door to munch on his rare treat.

As the women ate, he sat dutifully at the front door, waiting for the mail as he usually did, so he could shuffle it towards his master. Instead, there was a knock, loud and echoing, ominous, and foreboding. Allura appeared from the dining room, and the three women followed.

When she opened the door, a tall man, one of great strength stood plastered in strangely bright-colored furs. “Pardon me for the morning interruption ladies. Is there an Allura or a Keith in this household?” The man spoke. His skin was dark, his patch of fur, long. Kosmo couldn’t help but have his tail wagging at the mention of his name. That meant the prince had something to do with it, right?

The two spawn pointed at his master, who had nodded. “My name is Allura. Can I help you?”

He nodded. “May we speak alone outside Ma’am?” Kosmo took that as his cue to slip out, sliding past the man’s calves with ease.

“I- Of course.” She stepped out and closed the door. “Have I done something wrong?”

The man shook his head. “Where is the man who posed as your escort last night? The prince said you two were making a case of remaining unseen last night but wishes to speak to him again.”

The master blinked, and Kosmo’s ears perked up. “Oh, dear. Um, you see, it’s a precarious situation. If you could give me a few minutes, I can write a letter explaining it.”

The man sighed, before pulling out a letter. “Prince Takashi wishes to meet with you. I’ll tell Prince Lancelot to go with him. You will be given the utmost privacy to discuss any anomalies, the Prince has assured me.”

Allura nodded, her silver hair falling out of her morning bun. “Thank you.”

He nodded. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go inside. I do actually have something to say to the man of the house as well.”

The large man entered the house behind her, and Kosmo was quick to follow before the door shut. Kosmo followed dutifully, placing himself between Allura and the strange man. “He’s a wonderful breed. You two obviously have a bond.”

Kosmo felt the urge to roll his eyes. Allura nodded. “Kosmo has been wonderful, and very helpful.” He wanted to bristle at that, but he did not. Kosmo kept himself collected as the two chatted about dogs while she led them to the study. The others had likely finished their food, judging by the horrid sound coming from the second floor. He could go check to see if they lost anything that the mice didn’t get later.

The master opened the door, and they all began to talk, making their way over to the lush, soft items that he wasn’t allowed to sit on. He sat next to his master’s leg, but ended up between her and the strange man. A burly, furless paw ended up on his head, and Kosmo looked up into fawn-skin eyes, which gazed at his own softly, and so he leaned into the friendly giant’s paw.

“-Prince Lancelot and Prince Takashi want to talk with my niece?” Suddenly the head-master’s cold voice hit his ears. He could no longer block it out.

The man’s voice was soft as he continued to rub between Kosmo’s ears. “The princes don’t often get to see anyone of their own age. Even at the party last night, as will be today, everyone was either older or younger. Much like your lovely daughters, who are both older than the princes as well. They simply want someone to converse within the least-complicated way.” It could have been an elaborate lie, but something told Kosmo it wasn’t.

“They want what?” the eldest of the spawn squawked, much like an angry raccoon. Kosmo dropped his ears so they wouldn’t be in much pain. He got up, and the giant let his hand skim across his spine as Kosmo swiftly left the room.

A chunk of time later, Kosmo had successfully made sure there were no food remnants on the floors for his master to have to clean up when she guided the guest out to the door.

“Miss Allura, the princes’ will summon you after dinner most likely. Don’t let the king intimidate you though. He tends to do that.”

She nodded at the man. “Thank you HUnk. I appreciate it.”

He gave her a soft smile. “Don’t let those women push you around either. You seem like a strong, independent woman.”

She chuckled, and he slipped out the door without a word. A harsh stench, not distress, not fear, suddenly overwhelmed the room. The weird spiced apple juice, a sort of cyder that humans drank.

He eased up to her and placed a paw on her shin, moving to lick her calf gently. “I’m fine Kosmo. Just a little-” she started but stopped. He pushed his nose to her calf and wiggled his nose to prompt her to continue.

She gave him a soft smile and he followed her as she began to make her way up the stairs before the headmaster walked into her path. “With me girl. You will be addressing the royal family after the party tonight, which means you have nothing in that filthy closet of yours worth talking to them in.” She grabbed the master’s bronzed hand and tugged her along to her own room. When they entered the hallway to it, Kosmo stopped. He was not allowed into the particular hallway. For now, he would simply go to the pond. He would definitely need a bath. Maybe Chulule would be willing to help him get that burr out of his joint before they left.

\--- sometime later ---

Kosmo walked beside his master as they trailed into the garden. The witch had looked so confused when the guard had said the dog as well, not that Kosmo wasn’t just as confused.

There was a stone spitting out water, causing it to ascend and descend in an arch. They passed it, before entering a path in what seemed to be particularly placed woods. Each distance was intentional.

The man that had been with the prince popped up from the path, and the guards stepped away. “Sorry for the digression. My cousin has it in his head that Keith is a werewolf or something because the party was on a full moon and all that.”

Kosmo couldn’t contain the huff before he caught a whiff of steel.

“Um, is there someone armed that’s here?” She asked, sensing the dog’s preparation.

“No? Why?” The man asked, looking down at Kosmo and his white fur. He leaped forward, colliding with a body, sending it flying into the grass before wrapping his maw on the handle of its blade and ripping it out.

“SHIRO THERES A DOG WITH MY SWORD!” shouted a familiar, albeit panicked voice.

Kosmo grumbled before carrying the sword to the bench he had passed in his rush, jumping up before placing it on the top and sitting down where the humans would sit. The human prince really needed to get a better stance if he planned to attack or defend himself with the weapon, let alone others. His master reached forward, before scratching his neck and swiftly moving under his chin. “Who disarmed the prince all by himself, yes you did.”

What could Kosmo say? She gave the best scritches, and he was a sucker for her praise, so he definitely leaned into them. “Lance, I’m pretty sure this is not the dog you were thinking Kieth was.” came a chuckle from behind them.

The prince came up slowly, and Allura retracted her hand. “If that’s not Keith, then why is his name Kosmo?”

Allura blinked. “He told you his real name?”

Prince Lance nodded. “Not intentionally. But it was oddly specific and you could practically feel him racing to cover up his mistake.”

She nodded. “It was his first time. Sorry about that. Why did you want to see him?”

Lance and his friend, Shiro, blinked. Shiro was the one who spoke first. “Lance needs someone who’s willing to open their mouth without fear of offending, even if it does start with I’m sorry if this offends you but-. Kosmo was honest, blunt. It’s refreshing for us. As are you Allura. Even if you did hide your name. If it wasn’t for Keith’s slip up then we wouldn’t have found you probably.”

Lance groaned. “I also have one of your shoes. Probably yours,” he said, pulling a small silver shoe out. Allura smiled.

“I figured Coran was just leaving me with one as a sentiment. Thank you.” She took the shoe from Lance delicately.

Suddenly, there was a rustling, and Kosmo whined with the knowledge of who it was. “Ah don’t be like that Pup. I’m not an omen or anything.”

“Sure you’re not,” Kosmo grumbled back.

“For your sarcastic knowledge, I am a delight you furry sass ball,” the ginger man grumbled as he crossed his arms.

The prince and Shiro both stood at the ready. “How did you get past the guards?” Shiro said, picking up Lance’s sword.

Coran sighed, flicking his wrist so it heated up, causing him to drop it. “Takashi, Prince Lancelot-”

“Call me Lance please.”

“Lance, this is Coran. He’s the reason we got to go last night.”

Coran nodded. “I’m sorry about the time limit I had to put on the two of you. Had I known that Kosmo would have had a pleasant time I wouldn’t have worried so much.”

Said dog grumbled. “Don’t ever restrict her fun on my account; I’ll suffer through.”

Coran huffed a laugh, while the other three looked at him confused. “Ah, yes. I forget humans have lost the ability to understand. Let me just -” he said, before snapping his fingers. And Kosmo was being picked back up for the magical transformation, only to be unceremoniously dropped back to the ground.

“Alright, I deserve that,” He muttered as he sat up, a white cotton shirt on his chest rather than the black vest from the prior transformation.

“You alright?” Came a soft voice, and Kosmo looked up to see bright blue eyes again. His face was close, so close that he could feel the heat from his own cheeks being reflected back.

“F-fine. Just a little disoriented is all.” Full sentences were a good sign. Now if he could make some breathing room. Humans do have a sense of personal boundary right?

Lance nodded, before standing up and offering a hand. Kosmo reached out to take it, and Lance pulled him up. “Thanks,” he stuttered out, and Lance flashed him a smile. The four of them all sat on the stone bench, the two princes taking one side while Kosmo stayed beside Allura, although he was across from Lance.

Blue eyes glistened with curiosity. Coran plopped down next to Kosmo, and the dog turned man tried not to flinch or rustle too much. The other prince, Shiro he had been called, gave off a small chuckle.

“You’re right, his natural expression does seem to be brood.”

Kosmo rolled his eyes, and Allura laughed, which caused him to lighten up a little bit. If it brought her joy, he’d deal with it. “Sorry I don't understand how you all fix your faces..” he grumbled.

Both princes looked up. “Years of practice.” Kosmo groaned, before face planting into the top of the bench.

“But I thought I was done with my training two years ago,” he grumbled. All four of the humans, including the questionable magic one, laughed at his reaction before a familiar tangy scent hit his nose. “Coran,” he whispered harshly. The man snapped into action, vanishing without a trace as he turned Kosmo back into a dog. Cards appeared on the table, in a setting of a game Kosmo believed to be called ‘Go Fish’.

His master pinched her silver brow in false concentration as Kosmo eased his way into her lap, poking his head over the side to nose at a card that had three versions in her hand. She nodded. “Lance, you got any 7s?” She asked.

He shook his head before Shiro gave her a shit-eating grin. “Allura, do you have any 7s?”

Allura groaned, before handing him all three. He placed them in a stack next to him, on the opposite side of Lance. Footsteps approached, the scent getting stronger. He slipped out of her lap and barked softly in the direction that had approached from originally. Shiro stood up, placing his hand down on the bench. “State your name and business.”

The witch, and a man that had to be Prince Lance’s father, both appeared from the path. “It’s just us Prince Takashi, you can sheath your blade.” Shiro nodded.

“Your Majesty, Lady Honerva.” Shiro bowed.

“Father, Lady Honerva,” Lance said with a small bow of his own.

The master lifted up the sides of her dress, with a tilt of her head, but otherwise said nothing. Kosmo moved to stand beside her.

The king nodded to all three of them, before meeting eyes with Kosmo. Those blue eyes held the same mystery of their descendant, but a wave of anger that Kosmo did not recognize. If it was directed at him, he could not be sure.

“I see you boys have taken a liking to Alfor’s daughter.” Both boys blinked.

The Master tilted her head. “Pardon me, sir?”

He looked about ready to sneer before Honerva stepped forward. “Your highness, my husband nor I never told her of her origins.” The witch was defending his master, and he couldn’t be more confused.

He sighed. “Miss Allura, have you ever received a book written in a strange language?” The master shook her head. Kosmo stood up. Coran’s strange scent hit the air, as though ready to come out of wherever he was hiding, but not willing to do so. “Do you know who Alfor is?”

She shook her head. “Apparently my father. But Uncle Zarkon was the man who raised me.”

Honerva nodded. “My husband never told her because he had once been friends with Alfor before he lost his mind.” The king looked to Honvera with strange eyes. Kosmo didn’t like it.

The king pinched his brow, as a strange scent followed with the wind. The scent of death. Kosmo growled, before taking off. He couldn’t be sure who the death was meant for, but it would not harm his master, nor the two princes.

“Kosmo?” Allura’s call was questioning. Kosmo could smell a man draped in boar skin, and he followed with the scent. When he knew he was close, he could feel scared eyes on him and lunged. A small stick was in the man’s hands, the hole hollow. He blew, and something nicked Kosmo’s shoulder, but he would attend to that later.

Komso lunged for the man’s shoulder, and threw him down, wrapping his mouth around the stick and breaking it before letting out a series of barks to alert his master before the man brought up a hand. Kosmo took the wrist in his mouth and clamped hard, to the point of smashing the bone to splinters. The cry of pain from beneath him was painful, but Kosmo would not let this man out of his sight.

The man attempted to get up with his good hand, but Kosmo growled loudly, and could hear the guards coming in response to the cry, could hear his master coming towards his bark. The man kicked Kosmo in the chest with his thick boot, but Kosmo barely felt it, chomping down on the ankle, causing another howl of pain.

This time, as the prince came into his sight, the other boot came into his injured side, sending Kosmo tumbling. The dirt in his skin stung, and as he stood his vision began to blur. Somebody gasped as Kosmo attempted to recollect the meaning of the world. His vision was blurry, and he knew he wasn’t walking very well. He fell back down. The open wound seemed to be eating him alive, although he didn’t feel like there was a lot of blood.

Soft hands picked him up, and he held no energy to protest. “Just sleep Kosmo, we’ve got you.” The voice didn’t belong to his master, but he listened to it all the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, I lost track of the date with the impending doom of finals showing up. What are legs?


	4. Palace Parlors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so this is the last chapter I have pre-written (technically it was last chapter but I finished this one this morning thankfully) so I'm gonna be doing these every two weeks from now on so I have a little extra le-way time. Sorry for the inconvenience on yall. THat might turn into the first, just so I can match it up with my Cosian Fa'atsi story on youtube. If you guys want random snippets of the chapter as I work, come check me out on Tumblr @susan-royal! Shoot me any questions you may have, let me know your opinions, drop by to complain about work! I'm here for anything. Enjoy the chapter!

When Kosmo woke up, he was surrounded by softness. It was warm, and he bristled in contentment. Rolling in the softness, he heard a chuckle. He grumbled. 

“Chulatt, unless this is Haxus’s corpse I’m rolling in, go away.” Another, more bell-like laughter, one that was familiar. He peeled his eyes open, to see his once again human paws wrapped around a strange version of the master’s fluffy head-holders. “Oh, for the love of bacon.” He dropped his head into it. 

“I mean, I can go ask the cooks for some bacon.” The voice was familiar. The events from last night returned. 

So did the thrumming in his side, but it was in a strange spot due to his anatomy. But before it had been on the side of his torso, not quite hitting his spine. Now it was on his side, where his paw would stretch with the pull of the ground if he had stood. 

The master spoke from the side of the bed. “Coran thought it would help you heal better. Whatever hit you was poisonous, and being, well, a dog would push the venom through you too quickly.”

Kosmo groaned. “Thanks..” he muttered. He needed to get up. “When do we need to be home?” He muttered, resisting the urge to burrow himself. Instead, he pulled the human warm-container off, and the air bristled against his hind-quarters. The master looked up, as did the prince, both turning a shade of red. 

“We don’t,” she squeaked out. Both were slowly becoming redder, the skin on their necks quickly turning almost as much as their ears.

He looked up, trying to find whatever was making them panic. “What’s wrong? Is there a spider?” He asked as he scanned the ceiling, the area that both had chosen to look at. 

Prince Lance’s voice wavered to a higher sound as he spoke. “No, that’s not it. Please put the sheet back on.” He stood, and made his way to a part of the wall. “I’m gonna go get you some clothes!” he shouted as he opened the wall. It took Kosmo a moment to realize it was a door, before sitting down and pulling the cover over.

“Is there some social rule I’m missing?” He asked as he turned to his master. She turned her head down slowly.

Coran popped up out of no-where. “The palace believes you are a dog, so Allura, you might want to run after Lance.” She nodded, eyes widening before she took off.

Kosmo flopped himself back. “Is it out of my system?” He really wanted to just burrow into the fluffy, smooth objects he had been laid in. 

Coran laughed. “Not quite, but it shouldn’t be as dangerous. The Gelsemium is meant to paralyze due to a numbing of the brain, normally just for migraines, but at the dosage, you took it would have killed you.”

“If I was still my assigned species at least.” Coran nodded, mustache bouncing as he sat down. Kosmo recognized the name, pretty sure it was called heartbreak glass or something along those lines. He only hoped none of them had to witness him squirming around like a rabid squirrel. That’d be such a stab to his pride. However, it would have also been a painful way to die. 

Kosmo heard the door creak open but knew it was likely the Prince and his master. “So, any residing pains?”

“Just where it hit. Feels sorta like when the cat mauled me when I was a pup,” he said casually. It throbbed, but it was a normal pain. 

“No wonder you’ve always hated Haxus.” His master’s voice echoed from the other side of the room.

“Is that where the scar came from?” The prince asked.

His paws reached for it instinctively, where the claw marks crossed up from his ribs to his jaw. Kosmo nodded, and raven hair came into sighed. “Wait, I thought my fur was like clouds? Not bird feathers?” 

Coran chuckled, while the other two looked at the mustached man in question. “He means hair.” He turned to face Kosmo. “White hair is unique to alteans and older people. You are still young to humans, even if you’re getting on in years for a dog.”

The prince’s eyes widened. “Getting on in years?”

Allura responded first. “The average lifespan of the great Pyrenees is 12 years. I’ve had Kosmo since I was 14, not long before my- before Zarkon died. His bloodline is a bit shorter, although through impulse alone” 

Shiro slipped into the room, a pile of false furs in his hand. “Here,” he said, handing them to Kosmo. “These should fit. What were you guys talking about?” 

Kosmo took them. “Uh, thanks? My life-expectancy. I think I’ve still got five or six more human years up my sleeve, don’t worry Master.” 

The sound of Lance hitting himself echoed in his ears as Kosmo inspected the false furs. They were the color of his new fur, matching oddly enough. “How do I put these on?” Everyone but Coran made a high pitched noise, and Kosmo felt his strange ears fold down. “I’m sorry, these don’t look like the Master’s normal clothes.”

“Holy shit his ears.”

Coran laughed. “He does still have all his proper muscle mass, Lance. Also, I’m not it.” The man then poofed away into dust. 

“Is something wrong with my ears?” He could feel his entire facial structure tense up and wondered if it was normal for humans. All of them shook their heads before Shiro turned to the other two. 

“Alright, you two, get out. I’ll help him.” He pushed them both out by their lower backs, before closing the wall again. He turned back, and moon ray eyes seemed to glisten in determination, although his face flushed with blood. 

Kosmo picked up a fake fur that was on the top of the pile. “What is this stuff even called Ero?”

A smile formed softly. “It’s Shiro.”

Kosmo smacked his mouth together. “Thero? How do you guys get out that first part? With the, the ssssss but also the ch ch ch?” 

“Center between where you make the Ch and S sound.”

“Churro?” It would be a long few hours.

\-----

The false furs were tight, what Shiro had called ‘pants’, and Kosmo was not a fan. When he had said this, Shiro simply chuckled and said many would be in agreement.

They were currently in what the princes’ had called a parlor, soft objects that they all sat on comforting his new anatomy. As much as Kosmo loved soft stuff, it was too comforting. The humans around him seemed understanding and called him Kieth once again. Coran handed him a necklace, a pendant with a small glowing rune on it. “Tuck it under your tunic. It’ll allow you to change at will for now. Try to stay human for a few more hours though, Keith.” He then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kosmo placed the silver rope that the rune was attached to around his neck. He leaned back with a huff. “I’m never gonna get used to that,” he muttered, and Lance chuckled from beside him. The vibrations echoed through the softness, and Kosmo ignored it in favor of the dish of bacon that was on the table in front of them. Before touching it, he looked up towards Allura, who was in a conversation with Shiro.

Lance nudged him gently. “Go ahead, the cooks made it for you so.” Grey eyes, which reflected a violet in the current lighting, flittered into ocean hues before grabbing a single peice and shoving the whole thing in his mouth. “So cute,” someone whispered, although Kosmo wasn’t sure who it was. 

Kosmo pouted. “Not cute.” He crossed his bare arms, pale, and so few hairs. He hoped they would grow out with time. Suddenly, there was a sizzling, like that of burned flesh, and Kosmo was back to being a dog, taking off from the softness and through the hallway faster than any human could dream. 

“KOSMO!” Allura shouted. He followed his nose. Down a hall, through a stone doorway, another turn but towards the direction, he had come from last time. Other wonders entered his nose but were overpowered by the smell of burnt skin. The man from the other day was waving his hand in the air, blowing on it harshly. 

So, at least it wasn’t as bad as he had thought, even as his side ached harshly. He lept up onto the fire-condenser and barked hard enough that the flames evaporated. The large man jumped, and Kosmo gently grabbed the stinking wrist, slowly pulling him over to the water-pusher. He huffed as he looked the man in his doe-eyes, letting go of the wrist once the hand was in position before pushing his upper-body on the handle. As the handle went down, water came out, and Kosmo hopped off before jumping back on after it rose. 

The man smiled, sighing in relief. “Awe, deep down under that scary exterior you’re just a big softy aren’t you?” He smiled as he rubbed the water into his hand. “Even if you can snap my wrist in one swift motion.” Kosmo stopped pumping the water once the smell of seared flesh was finally over-powered with the food. He leaped off the counter, and his cut throbbed for a moment. “Come on puppy, you should be laying down still,” the human said, leaning down with open arms.

Kosmo shook his head. He wasn’t a pup anymore and knew he weighed probably as much as Allura did. “KOSMO!” Came Lance’s shout from the hallway. Allura had probably gone to search for him down another pathway. 

“HE’S IN HERE!” The man burrowed out, and the sound made Kosmo’s ears ring. He brought them down, and his head began to throb. 

“Hunk! Is he okay? Are you okay? What happened?” Kosmo gave a soft woof as he moved to sit down next to the prince’s leather boots. He hoped that conveyed he was fine.

“I just burned myself. He must have smelled it.” The man, Hunk, leaned down and rubbed Kosmo’s ears, much like he had back home. “Who’s a smart, super sensitive doggy with medical training apparently? Yes, you are~” the man cooed. 

His hand moved down to a nerve about an inch in front of the cut, a spot on his neck. Kosmo couldn’t help it okay? It was that perfect spot that always itched, and his foot just started thundering as he leaned into the touch. He was a weak dog okay? It was right over that sweet-spot, the throat-shot of affection. 

Lance chuckled, before reaching down and petting Kosmo’s head gently, doubling the affection enough for his tail to start flying. It started to thunder between the cupboard next to the stove and the island that held all of Hunk’s utensils. 

“Alright, I hear a helicopter tail. Who’s loving on my dog?” Allura called from somewhere. Both hands stopped suddenly, and Kosmo’s body froze tensely. His side throbbed even more now that he couldn’t feel either of them getting his spots.

“Is it just me or is…” Hunk trailed off, and Kosmo could smell some sort of soured sweetness in the air. Was that the big guy’s concern? He couldn’t be sure. 

“His side is swelling up. Help me get him back to the guest room?” Lance asked, and the big guy nodded. He reached out his large arms, and Kosmo stepped back immediately. If they were worried, he could walk back himself. He turned around, and began to walk, but could feel his balance fading as he turned down to the first hallway.

He caught himself in a stumble as his paws turned to led, but managed to make it into the parlor. He hopped up onto the softness in the room and laid his head down. A nap for a second wouldn’t hurt, right?


	5. Lance's Launder

Now, let’s start off with the fact that Lance doesn’t normally have that great of instincts. So when Keith passed out on the couch only to turn into a human again, in hindsight, telling Hunk he was having a wild dream probably wasn’t the best of ideas. Especially considering the burn on his strong hand. 

They both covered him up when Allura had appeared. “He knows,” Lance said with a pout.

Shiro came up from behind her. “Lance, what happened?” 

Hunk lifted his burnt hand, which had been wrapped finally. “Pretty sure ‘Keith’,” he said the name with air quotes. “- could smell it when I burned my hand and started flailing.”

Allura gave a soft, but irritated smile. “Sappy ass dog. I used to burn myself all the time when I first started cooking in Uncle’s place. Kosmo taught himself how to help me when no one else knew what would help, trying all kinds of stuff.” She lifted up her right hand, where a scar in a scattered shape sat in a color as white as Keith’s fur as a dog. 

Shiro blinked, and Hunk gapped. “Okay, yeah, your dog human person thing is absolutely adorable.” 

A short series of beeps came from Shiro’s wrist, and Lance’s as well. “Ah crap,” Lance groaned. “I’ll put the cream on him and then we can get ready for the party.” He disappeared down the hall in a rush, turning left and right until he made it to the darkroom that Allura had chosen for Keith. 

He really didn’t want to leave any of them alone, but he had to go. THis was as much for his people as it was for him. Lance had been away for five years. Today would be the final party, and at midnight, he would finally turn 20. As he reached a tanned hand for the cream, he heard scurrying down the hallway. Snatching up the pad, he slipped back out to see the queen, his Mama, discussing something with one of the guards. 

“Something the matter Mama?” He asked as he approached the two. 

She shook her head. “Someone spotted a siren on the beach near the outskirts of town. Nothing big, we all know how beautiful women are misinterpreted, but we do need to keep an eye on it.”

Lance nodded. “I’ll make sure Shiro and the captains all know.” She gave him a small smile, before she and the knight continued to make a plan. Lance moved swiftly, to see Keith had, once again, shifted back into being a cuddly white cloud. His head was in Allura’s lap, and she was rubbing circles into a spot behind his ears. 

He lifted up the tube in his hands. “Would you rather put this on him?” 

She nodded, reaching out to take the cream from his hands. He placed it in her fingers before he fled upstairs where he could get ready. 

Shiro stood at his window, gesturing towards his new green suit for the night as he struggled to get a white tie on his own violet one. It almost completely blended in with his shirt. He left his false handoff for the evening. 

“Do we really need to go through with these things?” He muttered as his arm began to drop. His fresh scar seemed to glisten in the moonlight from the window. Lance came forward and placed a hand on his shoulder gently before going to change into the green suit that awaited him. 

“We might have to stay longer than we planned as well, I’m afraid.”   
  


“Because of Allura and Keith?”

Lance shrugged. “Partially. Someone spotted a siren along the coast. It could be a lead to whoever poisoned Keith.”

Shiro nodded. “And maybe we’ll be able to figure out whoever they were targeting. I’m surprised His Majesty didn’t cancel the ball altogether.”

Lance chuckled. “Papi wouldn’t cancel a chance for me to get married off if his ass was on fire.” Shiro giggled for a short moment before Lance stepped out with a flourish. “How do I look?” He spun around for a moment, and Shiro rolled his eyes. 

“Let’s just get this over with, huh?” 

===

Now, Lance loved parties as much as he had as a child. He loved the dancing, the music, the outfits. It was something he had missed while Shiro and he were on their life-changing adventure. 

But he had forgotten why he always needed to step out. Before, when he had first met Keith, it was just because of the stuffy air. He had been out at sea for almost two years, open waters and free air, that the enclosed space was starting to get to him. 

But right here? Right now? It was the final day of the ball, and everyone was trying to get a piece out of the two of them while they could. Now, a few years ago? Hela, even a few months ago and Lance wouldn’t have minded. But right now, it was all too much.

The dresses, the attention, everyone giving him those deep skinned eyes as if they wanted to pierce through his very soul. Maybe coming down hadn’t been such a good idea. He could have told his Mami that he was nervous about the assassination attempt and wanted to stay inside. 

But here he was, too stubborn to ask the ladies to back off and give him some space. He attempted to whisk himself away to a balcony, but so many had been taken over by new and fleeting lovers. He didn’t blame them though. Were he anyone else, he would have gladly taken their place. 

The people seemed to flock to him, or his parents in all their glory as they sat on their thrones greeting individual guests. He took a deep breath as two beautiful noblewomen, twins, took to his sides. Prince Lance, it seemed, would be in for a long night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait and the short chapter. BUT, I did do some art and will be going through to add two other pieces that I've tried for Chapters 2 and 3. Due to how long it took me to finish this one, I'm going to say I'll start updating on the 10th of every month American time at the latest. I hope you don't mind my little tiny notes in the digital art, like in Lance's invisible mannequin you can see google images scrawled in orange on the arm.


	6. The Arrival

The pain was the first thing Kosmo felt when he woke up. His fur felt unusually thick, clinging to his new scar as a spider clung to its web. The sounds of footsteps and the human’s background music wafted thickly from below, and a new human remained in the room. 

Bacon and the sweets that Allura loves seemed to waft from the human. He reached forward with his nose and heard a chuckle as he got out from the covers. As Kosmo peeled his eyes open, he could see the burly man from the evening before. 

He reached out a hand, the same one that held the burn from yesterday. However, the new burn was a strange, sticky substance that smelled like a plant. Kosmo reached out his paw to touch it softly. 

“Hey Kosmo, I’m Hunk. I’m the head chef here.” Kosmo recognized him from the day before, or earlier, perhaps before he passed out. The man, Hunk, shook his paw gently. It was strange, the feeling of large fingers wrapped around his foot for a moment, where Allura’s were so much smaller, thinner. 

“I brought you some food. It’s just some hamburger from this afternoon, but Miss Allura said you would like it.” He brought up a plate to the thick furs on the bed. Kosmo moved his nose into the plate of food as he retracted his paw and grabbed a single patty.

He tilted his head for a moment before nodding, giving a soft woof towards the man before continuing to eat. Hunk chuckled softly. “I’m glad you like it.” He sighed, leaning back as Kosmo ate. “Do you uh, mind answering some questions?” He asked hesitantly. “Only if you can, of course. I don't know how often you can shift back and forth between being a dog and being, well?” He rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully. 

Kosmo nodded before moving under the covers and shifting back, leaving the blanket to cover up his stomach before reaching for the food. “Ask away,” he said, reaching a pale hand to the food. “No idea how the magic stuff works, so you’d have to ask the bright man about any of that. But otherwise,” Kosmo said before folding a pattie with his hand and tilting his head back to shove it all in.

Hunk laughed. “So what’s it like to be shifting around all the time?” He asked. 

Kosmo shrugged as he swallowed, grabbing the last pattie and tearing it into eights. “It’s kinda weird. I feel like I’ve misplaced my legs and gotten stuck on the counter or something.” He tossed a piece into his mouth. “But at the same time, it’s cool, getting used to the changes in muscle speak that you guys do. And when we go home, I can help the master more with her chores.” 

Hunk nodded. “Master? Do you mean Lady Honerva?”

Kosmo shook his head. “Head-master can do it all herself for all I care. Master Allura is my master.”

He nodded, black curls bouncing off deeply tanned shoulders, before leaning forward. That’s when the smell hit Kosmo’s nose. Salty, soured plums. He moved to stand up and shifted back as Hunk’s face turned beet red before bolting to the door. Hunk stood up. “What’s going on, Kosmo?” He moved to open the door, and Kosmo took down the hall, Hunk chasing after him. 

Kosmo spotted Lance first and wolfed at him softly as he tried to leave the ballroom before slowing down, trying to weave his way through the dresses, annoyed at the mass number of people. He could see his master down in the corner with Shiro and moved towards the doorway. Both Lance and Hunk moved to follow after him, the ladies moving to try and talk to them. 

Everyone finally made a path when Kosmo began to bark a bit, and he huffed as he bolted up the stairs to the entrance. Lance and Hunk moved after him, Hunk falling behind a few steps behind Lance. Kosmo jumped past the doors as they began to close, onto and over the banister, missing the stairs completely as he landed on the soft, midnight dewed grass before making his way to the beach. The boat shadowed over the people largely, moonlight pouring over the place. A man with bright silver hair stood at the helm, watching Kosmo approach them with cool lavender eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY so I put this off for 6 months and just finished writing it even though it's so short. Chapter 7 is already in the works though, a change into Lotor's POV like we had Lance's in chapter 5. If you'd like to complain or remind me about the fact that I have no sense of time management I've created a discord for my massive amount of stories. Feel free to join just to yell, or lurk as I send out snippets and polls. https://discord.gg/qaRkfcgFHF

**Author's Note:**

> So far this chapter is a bit shorter than the others. I tried to tag anything that might have ended up offensive to someone, but I might not have gotten everything. Please let me know if there's something else I need to/ should tag that I missed. Chapter 2 should be up next Tuesday before I help Nalane with Stream Week so just drop a comment if I forgot to. Thanks guys!


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